Gujarat: No students, 170 govt primary schools, 329 classes discontinued in 3 years

According to the data tabled by the government in the Gujarat Assembly on February 26, the number of schools closed down in 2021-22 rose manifold when compared to 2020-21. While 20 schools were shut down in 2020-21, the figure increased to 133 the following year. However, in 2022-23, the number dropped to 17.

Congress MLA Imran Khedawala, who had asked an unstarred question in this regard in the House, told The Indian Express: “They (state) have been closing down government schools and not opening new ones. While on one side, the government claims to achieve 100 per cent enrolment (in its schools), it is closing down schools, especially in areas where there is hardly any other option for children.”

According to the data, 329 classes across schools, between classes I and VIII, had been closed down in these three years – 266 classes, the highest, in 2021-22, followed by 53 in 2021-22 and 10 in 2022-23.

While 42 schools and 107 classes were shut down in Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gir Somnath saw eight schools and 76 classes being shut. In Kutch, 9 schools and 47 classes closed down.

The government cited less number of students in schools and particular classes for this. “The schools must have been merged with nearby schools, due to less number of students,” said Bhupendra Vaghela, Kutch District Primary Education Officer.

Devbhoomi Dwarka and Kutch also find place in the list of districts that have more than 10 per cent government primary schools being run by a single teacher. According to government data, while Devbhoomi Dwarka has 17.72 per cent such schools, the figure for Kutch was 10.54 per cent.

Of the 30,510 government primary schools across districts, 1,595 schools (5.22 per cent) are being run with a single teacher. The number of government primary schools with only one teacher in Gujarat has increased from around 700 to 1,606 in the last two years.